This invention is directed to an advertising display and dispensing apparatus for displaying one type of item and for retaining another type of item and, more particularly, to a business card or advertising card holder for exhibiting such cards in a restaurant or other business type of environment which also includes a receptacle for retaining food or other articles which can be selectively and readily removed for use by the restaurant or other business patrons.
Some embodiments of the invention are arranged for dispensing advertising materials, such as business cards. It should be clear that the embodiment could also dispense coupons, discount cards, special entrance tickets to various events, or other advertising-type materials. However, throughout the specification, the invention is described with respect to business cards for ease of description.
Business card holders serve a useful and valuable role as an advertising medium which is inexpensive yet capable of exposing the message to many people. Such holders are regularly used in various business establishments. The advertiser can target on the group most likely to desire his services by judicious selection of the location where his cards are placed. The cards are removed by interested readers. Restaurants are a particularly good site for this type of advertising approach because the cards have a captive audience for the duration of a meal with typically little else to compete with for the attention of the dining patron. Also, at restaurants with heavy traffic the cards are subject to extensive exposure to local as well as transient patrons. However, since tabletop space is often at a premium in this environment, the card holders compete for room which the restaurant or its dining patrons may wish to put to different use. For example, the restaurant may wish to place on the table salt and pepper shakers, toothpick holders, sugar containers, ketchup bottles, etc. The patron wants the tabletop surface clear to maximize his dining comfort when the meal arrives. Thus, the business card holder may be relegated to a remote corner of the table behind other things of more direct utility to the patron and restaurant during the meal. By storing a food item used by a restaurant patron during eating, the patron is forced to notice the advertising material and/or business cards retained by the apparatus and to keep it in view.
The apparatus of the present invention can be used for other types of combined advertising displays and "goods" holder.